Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The Road To Dolores Hidalgo



living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

After another great sleep last night, we took off for the gym. Not too many people this morning. On the walk there, I passed an older Mexican woman about 80 years old, no teeth with her hair pulled back and a knee-length apron on. She started speaking to me in English. She said, "oh you beautiful American man. Ay papasito, que guapo!". I guess I made someone's day. It must have been the workout shorts.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped for a beet and pineapple juice. I thought I had more money in my backpack to pay for the juices. They were 40 pes0s and I only had 27. I thought he would let me pay him later but he insisted I go across the street and use the ATM. So I did. I brought him back a 500 peso bill and made him find the change. The juice wasn't very good anyway.

Off to Dolores Hidalgo. What a difference over last year. The highway from SMA is like a super highway. Fast, 25 minutes, in excellent condition with plenty of pullouts. It is one and a half lanes on each side all well-marked. As we pulled in to town we drove around the rotunda and continued into the "centro". All the streets and sidewalks are new. As I reported last year they were preparing for upcoming Independence celebration on September 16. They have really made themselves proud with this project. The town of 135,000 is really humming. Groups taking tours, people filling the restaurants and the plaza full of visitors eating ice cream, cotton candy, candied apples and balloons and balls being sold on every corner.





First stop was lunch at El Carruaje del Caudillo. We had breakfast there before so I thought for sure that lunch would be good. I wanted enchiladas but she said the didn't come with beans or any side dish. I asked how the Fetuccini Alfredo was cooked. She brought me a sample and it was soggy and overcooked. I could see this wasn't going to be a good experience. While we ordered a soda, I asked if they had any chips and sauce. She said we could order some guacamole as it comes with chips. "Alright, whatever and I'll take the enchiladas." Well prove me wrong. The enchiladas come on a bed of lettuce, served with avocado and tomato slices and covered in sauce and cheese. The guacamole was one of the best I have ever had and she brought a plate of pickled nopales, carrots, potatoes and chayote. I told her at the end that she surprised me. She said she thought everyone knew how they served their food. She got a great tip!







We walked around town visiting the main plaza and the cathedral. I stopped to print some reports I need to turn in tomorrow via Multipak Mensajeria. We headed home for a well-deserved nap and here I am.

Looks like it will be, as Croft put it, a two grain happy hour!

2 comments:

  1. The best kind of Happy Hour! That restaurant was where the lady at the tourist office on the Centro sent us for lunch. And yes, it was very good. We even got to help some first time tourists order their meal. "This menu is in Spanish!"

    It is nice to see the improvements to the highway from SMA. It was a nightmare last year. It sounds like it will be a great party on Sept 16!

    ReplyDelete
  2. hello, I found this accidentally by clicking in the next blog button, anyways I would like to say YOU ARE COOL, I also live in Monterrey so its very pleasant to see you, an american man taking pictures and writing about the good and beautiful things we have, well my name is Eduardo and Im studying at tec de monterrey, wish you luck in life.

    ReplyDelete